front door opened and Hermione came out, wrapped in a white lace
shawl.

"Emile?" she said, stopping with her hand on the door. "Why--how
extraordinary!"

She came to him.

"Have you come to pay us a nocturnal visit, or--there's nothing the
matter?"

"No," he said.

For perhaps the first time in his life he felt embarrassed with
Hermione. He took her hand.

"I don't believe you meant me to know you were here," she said, guided
by the extraordinary intuition of woman.

"To tell the truth," he answered, "I did not expect to see you. I
thought you were all in bed."

"Oh no. I have been on the terrace and in the garden. Vere is out
somewhere. I was just going to look for her."

There was a distinct question in her prominent eyes as she fixed them
on him.

"No, I haven't seen Vere," he said, answering it.